Taking a first step in Delhi

Upon arrival in Delhi, the energy was palpable.

Our small group of a dozen suppliers and travel agents was escorted by a guide and transported in a bus to our hotel. Curious, we had all eyes on the window to discover more of this, for many of us, unknown land; the excitement of this first contact with the city was overflowing.

Unsurprisingly, I immediately realize that it’s total chaos on the roads. It’s one thing to see in a movie, but quite a different matter to experience it first-hand! But despite the apparent absence of any traffic and signaling, the residents know how to navigate the roadways. About twenty minutes later, we arrive in the luxurious Oberoi Gurgaon. The contrast with what we saw of the city is amazing.

In Delhi, we had only one day and while it’s not enough to see the whole city, it did allow us to explore its incredible historical riches.

There is much to see in Delhi, a gargantuan city with more than 13 million inhabitants, making the Indian capital the sixth most populated city in the world.

Delhi’s architecture, marked by its past and its revival, clearly tells the city’s story. There are thus two cities in one – Old Delhi and New Delhi – a testimony to the end of British colonial rule. This new part of the city, as its name indicates, is where you will find many hotels, restaurants and chic boutiques, alongside some of the jewels of a bygone era, including Qutb Minar and Humayun's Tomb, both listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Qutb Minar

Built in the early 12th century a few kilometres south of Delhi to mark the Muslim victory over the Hindu king of the time, Qutb Minar is a tower of red sandstone 72.5 m high with a diameter of 14.32 m at the base and 2.75 m at the top. The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings; the magnificent Alai-Darwaza, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art built in 1311; and two mosques, including that of Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in North India, built of materials from twenty Brahman temples.

Humayun's Tomb

This tomb, built in 1570, has an exceptional cultural significance as it is the first example of a garden tomb on the Indian subcontinent. The site has inspired major architectural innovations, including the construction of the famous Taj Mahal.

Old Delhi

Former capital of Muslim India, Old Delhi is a bustling place where you will find numerous monuments and museums depicting the history of the city. During the trip, we had four free hours to either go shopping or visit various sites.

Four of us chose to visit Old Delhi to soak up a few hours of experience beyond the tourist areas, exploring alongside the city’s residents and wandering the bustling markets where the aroma of various spices filled the air.

It was definitely a learning experience, exploring beyond Jami Masjid mosque and traditional souks.

Vijay Bathija, commercial vice president of Air Canada and a native of Delhi (who still maintains a residence there), proved an excellent guide in exploring as much of the city as we could in such a short amount of time.

The next day we hit the road to Agra to visit the majestic Taj Mahal, which we will explore in more detail in the next article.